Loose-leaf book construction



Feu a, 194s. M. VERNON 2,435,521

y LOOSE LEAF BOOK CONSTRUCTION v Filed Feb. 4, 1944 Patented Feb. 3, 1948 2,435,521 Loose-LEAF Boon CONSTRUCTION Murray Vernon, New York, N. Y., assigner to S. E. & M. Vernon Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 4, 1944, Serial No. 521,015

(Cl. 12S- 24) 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to loose leaf binders and more particularly to loose leaf binder construction, which while possessing the desired properties cf permitting pages to be inserted, withdrawn or changed in position, is easily and economically fabricated of non-critical materials.

Among the principal objects of the present invention lies the provision of loose leaf notebook construction in which known independent binder rings are combined with other elements to provide a unitary book in which the rings are independently operatable.

Another object herein lies in the provision of structure of the class described in which the rings may be independently operated by a simple manual motion either to an open position (when sheets may be inserted or withdrawn), or to a closed position in which, barring rupture of the sheets themselves, the sheets are securely retained in position in the book.

A still further object of the present invention lies in the provision of a loose leaf notebook of the ring binder type of construction in which a kind of snap action is obtained without the use of springs as such but by the action of the binder rings.

A feature of the invention lies in the simple low cost manufacture thereof so that the same may have a consequent wide sale and distribution.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the support element protects the rings from undue distortion so as to extend the useful life thereof.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the support element and rings form a basic unit so that the cover of the notebook may be composed of any desired material.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary rear elevational view, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view as seen from the plane 2 on Figure 6.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view partly in elevation as seen from the plane 3-3 on ,Fig-

llle 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view partly in elevation as seen from the plane 4-4 on Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a View corresponding to Figure 4, but showing the binder ring thereat in an open position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention in closed position.

I-n accordance with the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 6, inclusive, the device generally indicated by numeral 20 includes a front cover 2|, a rear cover 22, a rear member or saddle 23, a support element 24 and rings 25.

TheV covers 2| and 22 and the rear member or saddle 23 may be of any suitable construction Well known in the art, such as stiff cardboard covered with cloth, artificial leather, and so forth. The covers 2| and 22 are thus hingedly connected to the rear member 23 along the hinged portions 21 and 28. While the illustration in the drawings of an embodiment of the invention, the device is illustrated as having three rings, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates that any desired number of4 rings may be used in any desired interspacing.

The rear member 23 is preferably slightly curved to produce a convex outer surface 23 and a. concave or forward surface 33. The degree of concavity of the surface 30 preferably substantially `conforms to the convexity of the rear or inner surface 3l of the support element 24. The support element 24 is preferably fabricated of any suitable material such as a strip lof hard wood and the front or normally exposed surface thereof indicated by numeral 32 is preferably of convex configuration. The support element 24 is'preferably not as long as the rear member 23.

The support element 24 is provided with a plurality of channels 33, as many channels as there are rings. The channels are of uniform construction which is best seen in Figures 1-5, inclusive. By reason of the fact that the channels 33 are of uniform construction, a detailed description of one will suffice for all. A channel 33 has side walls 34 and 35 and a curved or arcuate top wall 36, the side walls 34 and 35, of the channel 33, supporting the ring in a substantially upright position, that is to say perpendicularly of the surface 32 of the support element 24. The channels 33 are closed at the rear thereof by the forward surface of the rear member or saddle 23,

particularly at the portions 3l, 38 and I9. The

3 portion i9 supports the ring underneath or rear.- wardly of the same'when the ring is in a closed position thereof, while the portions 31 and 38 support the ring when the ring is in an open position thereof. The support element 24 is further provided with a longitudinally arranged channel 39 which is disposed in the rear or inner surface 3l at the central. portion; thereof. The channel 39 intersects the channels 33 and terminates at 50 slightly inwardly of the ends 52 and,

53. The channel 39 serves therefore, to enlarge the central portions of the channel 33S at 'theportions I9. This enlargement is adapted to accommodate a corresponding enlargement. ofthe rings 25 thereat.

The rings 25 are substantially identical and therefore, a description of one. will. suflicefw 4 and the terminals 46 and 41 on each of the rings separated by laterally shifting the projections 58 and 59 out of line and separating the halves 60 and 6| of the rings 25. 'I'he opening movement of the halves 60 and 6I away from each other will be restricted by the engagement of the portions of the rings adjacent the ends with the portions 311 and 38 of the rear member 23, The perforated sheets (not shown) may now be placed upon or removed from either of the sheet carrying portions of the halves of the rings. After the i sheets` have been: placed or removed, the ring all, A ring includes a sheet carrying .portion 42 and a retainer portion. 43. The ring 25 is prei"- erably of uniform curvature alignment along the circumferenceA of a true circle; when-thoring is in a closed position thereof. For the purposes of this description, the-sheet carrying portion is generally considered; asl that visible in- Figure 2- while the retainer portion is that disposed within the connes of the support element inFigure 4. Thus, the ends of theA sheet*V carrying "portion 4'2" run into theV adjoining ends of the retainer por-l tion. The sheetk carrying portion is preferably split 'in a zig-zag manner'ratthe/ central part'- thereof to form the ring terminals 46 and 41. The retainer portion: includes two separate ends 44 and 45 which are hinge'dfly connectediinilapp'ed. relationship by the pin 4|. vThel headsV ofthe pin: 4;!` form. enlargementsk in. the retainer .por-t tion 43 ofthe ring 25... K

The; ring itself. is preferably com-posed of .a.mva terial having the"r qualityfof residiency, assfor example, steel or plasticV such as cellulose acetate.

Obviously the; ring may becomposedof other-ma-1 terials,` such as die-cast; metals, or thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics, well known .Thelrin'gs may be molded inA the, shapei shnwnf-ort may' form up undervheat and/or pressuref in.1 suitalale` dies and/or jigs.

Since the rings are composed of resilient` mate-14 rial, the terminals 46 and'41 Imaybetemporarily laterally separated suflicientlysa that theprowY jections 58 and 5.9may disengagefthecorrespond-i ing.v depressions in thev oppositel partsof the sheet -i carrying portionthereof and thentheftwoahalvess of the ring 6U and 6| may be pivotally moved andy separated providing a passage. 6.3 throughs` which!v suitably oriflced sheets,.not shown, butfwell known;

inthe art may be inserted.. When; sopositioned; the sheet may be hooked upon. and penetrated by either of the terminals 46` or 47.1.

The ringsl may be closedby moving themtoward. each other.; i

the diagonally arranged surface at thevtips of. the. terminals acting .in a wedge and ratchet manner.

The device may be assembledlay-placing` onev of f the. rings 25in each. of' the channels 33-withtheV pins 4| engaging the channel 3.9. rEhen, the con-l cave surface 3.0. of the rear member 23..is,'p1aced.

against the rear or inner surfacesty of the sup` f port element 24 and they are 'xedly secured to.-

-gether by any suitablefm'eans,VY such as for example, the rivets which 'engage suitably aligned'Y I4A and` orifices 56 and 57 in the support element thel rear member `23, respectively;

Thus, the device may be operatedjiir one manner as follows. Assuming all of the rings 25 toy bein the closed. positionthereoif asf-shownfin"l Figure 2, saidA rings'may` bek grasped consecutively-4 halves may be, moved to the closed position thereof either. by independently and consecutively faces. ofwhich at 'HJ and H engage the ring halves to draw said covers toward each other. This will simultaneously cause all of the rings to close by-r they wedge and snap action of the interengaging projections and depressions on the terminals 4'6 and 4T.

'It may thus be seen that the rings 25 are' prevented from rotating annularly by the`v projections on: the ends of the pins 42 engaging withthe. channel 39, thus the opening terminals 46 and" 41.' ori-each of the rings are. maintained in an aligned and predetermined spatial interrelationship.

Itfmay thusabeseen. that I have provided a novel and-.useful loose leaf notebook binder construction which is efficient in use and economicai'l'in manufacture.

l wish it to be. understood that I.v donotdesi-re2 to. be limited to the exactr details of construction shown. and described, for obvious. modification'swill occur toy a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

.1.. A sheet retaining book for detachab'ly hold# ing perforated sheets,. the: book comprising Jaz front cover, a rear cover and! a saddle, all .of

fibrous covered material, a member having'arjea-r.v

face shaped to, give said saddle the configurati-ons:A

of theJ back of a bound., book, a pluralityofsheeti holding rings, each ring comprising twov portions-i joined by a hinge, said hinge projecting; beyonidi the sides. of. said1 ring, channels.I in saidmember,

Vone for each rin-g, each channel having atcip'wal-kl of susbtantially the same: con-figuration as ther. closed ring, an intersecting channel in saidmemsj` ber located substantially in thel longitudinal cen.-

ter. of saidsaddle, each ring :hav-ing ther hinge#` accommodated in said. intersecting channel, and

fastening means for securing-the. member tothesaddle.

2.. A sheet. retaining bookfor detachably hold-f Y ing. perforated sheets, comprising.v a. mounting for.

rings, each ring comprising two portions;joined*r lnya hinged connection, each hinged connection projectingbe-yond the: sides of theringmeans: for. each ring to latch it in sheet retainingff'pi'isitiiorn-` theasolid material of said. mounting having-ringeV Y receiving transverse channels, each channel conr- 1 'forming in depth to the contour of the inner'VVV periphery of the closed ring, a` saddlesecu'redi to said mounting` onitsf curved face, front andE rear covers fori saidf book 'exibly connected tonsaid ,saddlejeach ring being kept insheet receivingand!" retaining positions by the saddle and said transit verse grooves, Asand solid material of said mounting having groove means to accommodate the projection of the hinged connection of each ring, the inner contour of the channels and the saddle setting the limit of movement of the rings from 5 closed sheet retaining position to the open sheet receiving position.

MURRAY VERNON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Higgins Aug. 25, 1891 Morden Jan. 22, 1907 Hubby May 9, 1911 Vesterling June 8, 1915 Crosby May 26, 1931 Vernon 1 June 15, 1943 Hunziker June 14, 1898 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1921 

